Johannesburg - A meeting at Nedlac in June will determine whether Congress of SA Trade
Unions members can down tools over high electricity tariffs, the trade federation's general
secretary
Zwelinzima Vavi said on Thursday.
"If no progress is made at that meeting, Cosatu will mobilise its
members for a massive strike as soon as [the National Economic Development and
Labour Council] declares that the matter has been duly considered," he
said at a media briefing after a meeting of Cosatu leadership.
The Nedlac meeting would take place on June 14, days after the start of the
2010 FIFA World Cup.
Vavi said Cosatu delivered a Section 77 notice to Nedlac in April.
The respondents to this are the department of trade and industry, the
department of energy, the department of economic development, Eskom, the
National Energy Regulator of SA and others.
At a meeting on May 25, respondents said they did not have a
mandate, but agreed to respond in writing to issues raised in the
notice before the June 14 meeting.
He said it was Cosatu's right to embark on industrial action.
"When we do so [go on strike] no one must accuse us of holding anyone
to ransom," Vavi said.
Cosatu was being supported by the Federation of Unions of SA in its attempt
to reverse the high price of electricity in the country.
Cosatu had also met the ANC to discuss the energy matter.
Vavi said these talks were being taken forward
and if a solution was found in this process there would no longer be a need to
engage in the legal processes through Nedlac.
- Sapa